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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25114519">Summer of Sol</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zimithrus1/pseuds/Zimithrus1'>Zimithrus1</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Can I Get a sliceofclack? [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anal Sex, But I'm not taking any chances, Clack, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, I don't know if this actually counts as Explicit, I like fluff okay?, Intimacy, Johnny and Roche actually show up in chapters 4+5, Johnny/Roche on the side, Kissing, Light Angst, Like, M/M, Making Love, Oral Sex, Sexual Content, Soft sex, Stress Relief, Swearing, Sweet/Hot, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Touching, Vacation, Wow I wrote this thing how did I already forget that, Yeah I know Johnny/Roche?, all of the fluff, changed rating, i'm not, more tags to be added later, sliceofclack, what is this dude thinking?, zakkura</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 03:36:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,442</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25114519</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zimithrus1/pseuds/Zimithrus1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Two black suitcases he knew belonged to them both sat on the closet floor looking a touch overstuffed. (One of the zippers couldn’t even zip closed all the way.)</p><p>“Surprise~”</p><p>A fic in which Zack and Cloud go on a much needed vacation - lest they succumb to overwork and lack of intimacy.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Zack Fair/Cloud Strife</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Can I Get a sliceofclack? [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1808548</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>71</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Break</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Week two's entries for the sliceofclack event ready and raring to go, with the theme of vacation! *Plays Vitamin C's 'Vacation' and puts sunshades on while watching the very first Pokémon movie short*</p><p>Completely unrelated I know, but I hope you enjoy what I've got in store! :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>‘Hey, I know it’s date night tonight, but… I’m just so wiped out today. Would you be upset if I asked if we could reschedule?’</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>‘Don’t worry about it, Sunbeam. I had a long day today too -n-’</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>‘Sorry to hear that -n- But you aren’t mad?’</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>‘Nah, it’s cool, Cloudy. I’ll just get some take-out on the way home. Wutaian sound good?’</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>‘Yeah, sounds good. Sorry about canceling date night again, Zack…’</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>‘No need to apologize. We’ll just shoot for next week! ^-^’</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>‘OK. See you when you get back.’</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>‘See you then. Love you &lt;3’</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>‘Love you too &lt;3’</em>
</p><p><br/>Staring at the messages on his phone, Zack sighs and shakes his head, then shoves his device back into his pocket before he uses his free hand to massage a sinus headache throbbing between his eyes.</p><p><br/>He’s a bit bummed about having to cancel date night for the fourth night in a row, but it couldn’t be helped－Shin-Ra’s kept them quite busy these past few months.</p><p><br/>They lost a good number of people recently.</p><p><br/>After all, what good is Shin-Ra in an era of bland peace－no long wars or continental skirmishes? They all just decided to collectively shake their heads and sign the resignation papers, opting to find ‘better’ work.</p><p><br/>So that left those who remained high-strung and overworked, trying their best to pick up the slack during the massive absence.</p><p><br/>As SOLDIER, (First-Class to boot), Zack had to work extra hard for the absences. Same goes for Cloud too now that he’s a Third-Class, rather than a simple grunt.</p><p><br/>He shakes his head and rubs between his eyes firmer.</p><p><br/>Now almost every night, like clockwork, Zack trudges his way home late, (almost burning midnight oil), with various take-outs and brings them back to his flat for him and Cloud to eat. Then when they’re done eating they take turns in the shower and head straight to bed.</p><p><br/>Then they repeat the process again,</p><p><br/>And again,</p><p><br/>And again,</p><p><br/>And <em>again</em>.</p><p><br/>It sucks.</p><p><br/>They have no energy, no free time, and their pockets barely weigh anything more than meager. (Shin-Ra loves their stagnant salaries.)</p><p><br/>Zack can’t even remember the last time him and Cloud went out and did anything together－or even just spend some quality time together for that matter. Even their intimacy seemed to be desert-dry. (And even when that desert got a rare rain shower, it’d only last for a couple of minutes.)</p><p><br/>Goddess what he wouldn’t give for a break.</p><p><br/>But Zack pulls himself out of his headache-inducing thoughts and blows a single strand of hair from his face. If he just continues to stand outside his front door, the Wutaian food he ordered would get cold and stiff. <em>No one likes cold Wutaian.</em></p><p><br/>He reaches into another pocket and rummages around until the clack of his key-card tapping his fingers echoes in his ears. Then it’s just a matter of taking the card and swiping it through the scanner by his front door. It beeps at him and a red light flashes to green－the lock faintly unlatches from the inside.</p><p><br/>With his cue, Zack pockets the card and nudges the door open with his elbow, carefully balancing the food in his other hand.<br/>The sound of the TV greets him first. There sounds to be gunshots and horses whinnying, some galloping too. Must be an old western film on.<br/>He closes the door and spins on his heel, blue gaze connecting with a sight for sore eyes.</p><p><br/>Cloud sits on the living room couch, an elbow on the armrest and face in hand while his lower half curls up on the cushion he’s nestled himself in. His own set of Mako eyes cast the glare of the TV－whites and grays filtered through. (When Zack hears some bad acting with a poor western accent, he knows for sure it’s an old western Cloud’s watching.)</p><p><br/>But he must’ve heard him come in, because those eyes break away from the TV and look over in his direction. A tired smile cracks the corners of his mouth. “Hey.” He greets.</p><p><br/>“Heya.” Zack nods back, then holds up the food in his hand a little higher. “－Brought dinner.”</p><p><br/>“So I take it you remember what I order?”</p><p><br/>“Yup! Lo mien with grilled Zolom and sweet-and-spicy sauce.” Zack smiles as he toes off his boots by the front door.</p><p><br/>“I’m impressed.” The amusement in Cloud’s voice bleeds through (though he sounds so tired). “Normally you have me write it down or text it to you.”</p><p><br/>“Hey, give me some credit－you’ve been ordering this for the past year.”</p><p><br/>“Yeah, and it only took you a year to realize it.” Cloud’s grin grows snarky, but the playful light is dull in his eyes.</p><p><br/>“If I wasn’t so tired I’d come over there and teach you a lesson.” Zack flops down on the couch with an exhale.</p><p><br/>“If I wasn’t so tired I would have poked more fun at you.”</p><p><br/>“Ha-ha,” Zack mock laughs as he takes the food out of the plastic sack and distributes the containers. “Here Squeaker, eat up.”</p><p><br/>“You know I don’t like being called that－I’m not a little squeaky voiced kid anymore.” Cloud harrumphs as he takes his styrofoam container.</p><p><br/>“Not according to you after a drink, me, and a bed.” Zack muses.</p><p><br/>Instantly, a slim hand smacks him across his bare arm and when he looks over, Cloud’s mouth is open and he looks almost appalled. If anything, the look just makes him laugh.</p><p><br/>This is the most active conversation they’ve had in months. They usually don’t say much after he gets home with dinner.</p><p><br/>Zack misses this.</p><p><br/>At that realization it just makes his sinus headache come back and he sighs deeply. He hopes if he rubs between his eyes a little firmer it’ll go away.</p><p><br/>“Headache?” Cloud catches on the moment he raises his hands to his face.</p><p><br/>“Yeah－just a sinus one though.” He says as he applies pressure.</p><p><br/>“Yeah… me too.” Cloud quietly seconds. “Temples.”</p><p><br/>“Sorry, Sunbeam. Think you’ll need some pain relievers for it?” He takes his hands from his face.</p><p><br/>“Nah.” He shakes his head. “I’ll just skip the shower and go straight to bed after dinner－should be gone after some sleep.”</p><p><br/>That doesn’t sound too bad actually. If he skips a shower too, then he’ll also have more time to sleep. Who knows, maybe they might actually cuddle up with each other tonight? (Rather than curl up on their own side to fall asleep faster.)</p><p><br/>“I think I’ll do that too. It’s not like I did anything physically challenging today－just a ton of paperwork.” Zack finally pops open the lid to his container and warm steam comes rushing out.</p><p><br/>“It’ll nice to be able to lay down a little sooner.” Cloud nods his head and does the same to his own container. “We can actually lay together for a bit before going to sleep.”</p><p><br/>Zack faintly grins. “I was thinking the same thing.”</p><p><br/>The action is returned by his Sunbeam’s lightly-freckled face. (The spots only become visible when the bright TV colors blare against them.)</p><p><br/>Even though the start of their short, late night had some variety, they end up falling into their same recent pattern; eating in front of the TV with blank eyes and without any conversation. (Aside from things like ‘wow, that’s some bad acting’. Or, ‘These special effects are so corny’.)<br/>And they throw their food away quietly when they’re done, turn off the TV quietly followed by all of the lights, and slink away to the bedroom quietly after filling their stomachs.</p><p><br/>“Hey Cloud?” Zack asks as he slips a soft cotton shirt over his head.</p><p><br/>“What’s up?” He responds as he steps into loose sweatpants.</p><p><br/>“What time is it anyway?”</p><p><br/>His blond beauty turns his head toward the analog clock on an end table. “11:41”.</p><p><br/>“Woah, laying down before midnight? That’s gotta be a record.” Zack laughs as he steps out of his uniform pants and into pajama pants with a looping bomb monster print.</p><p><br/>“A <em>world</em> record.” Cloud jokes back as he throws himself down on his side of the bed. (The left side.)</p><p><br/>Zack turns on a box fan and turns off the ceiling light (leaving only an end table lamp light on), before trudging his way over to the bed, copying his boyfriend’s actions with almost the same tired, vibrato.</p><p><br/>“And a world record for longest overworked streak too.” He comments back as soon as he tucks them both under the sheets.</p><p><br/>“Yeah…” After he agrees, Cloud reaches out with one hand and flicks the switch on the table lamp. </p><p><br/>The rooms swells with a comfortable darkness that almost can’t be seen past, but their enhanced eyes adjust rapidly and shapes can at least be made out among the night shadows within moments.</p><p><br/>For what feels like the first time in a long time, Cloud coils up next to him, tucking his own frame to his side and curls an arm over his chest and neck.<br/>Zack fits his form like a puzzle and snuggles into him, putting his face into those wheat blond locks that always smelled like evergreen mountain pines and early morning winter snow no matter what kind of shampoo he used.</p><p><br/>His kindred spirit’s natural scent. Oh, how he could drown in it.</p><p><br/>He places a few kisses into those locks and hums faintly. Then there are pecks against the base of his neck. They lay there quietly, the sounds of their breathing syncing with the box fan and drowning out anything else.</p><p><br/>That’s about as far as it goes before they end up calling it a night anyway.</p><p><br/>And they turn on their sides,</p><p><br/>Just like last night,</p><p><br/>And the night before that.</p><p> </p><p><em>‘...We need a break.’</em> Zack thinks.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Vacation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Looks like Cloud and Zack are going to get the break they desperately want!</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay, not gonna lie, I'm already blown away by the response I've gotten from just the first chapter alone! Thank you guys so much~!! I hope these next few chapters are up to par for you guys!</p><p>That said, happy reading!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>‘Hey, after you finish your simulation tests, come back to the flat, I want to talk about something. It’s not bad, but it is important.’</em>
</p><p><br/>Cloud stares at the phone in his hand, eyes crinkled as he tries to make heads or tails at how to process Zack’s text.</p><p><br/>He’s lucky enough to have heard the notification pop up the moment he took his VR headset off and stepped out of the training room and into the observation area.</p><p><br/>He’s at least not anxious, because of the ‘it’s not bad part’, but what matter is so important that Zack had to send him a text well knowing he’s busy?</p><p><br/>“Strife? Everything good?” A voice nearby asks.</p><p><br/>Cloud turns his head and his eyes display the chicken-like frame of his test administrator staring at him with his own brow furrowed. (Maybe in concern? It’s hard to tell with these guys, they always look tired or annoyed.)</p><p><br/>“Yeah,” Cloud says as he pockets his phone. (Phones were not allowed in the simulation room, as per company guidelines.) “How close would you say we are to being done?”</p><p><br/>The administrator checks over the clipboard in his hands and adjusts thin glasses sitting on the bridge of his nose. “Considering you’ve just passed your invasion training…” His voice trails as he flips a paper over the top, and then another. “…And you’ve also completed your basic lessons and advanced protocol situations…” He adjusts his glasses again.</p><p><br/>Cloud resists the urge to huff and roll his eyes at him. These administrators never got to the point either. He didn’t recall asking for a status report, so why was he getting the lowdown on everything he had done today?</p><p><br/>“...Seems like we’re finished.” The administrator finally says and pulls the papers back down to the clipboard how they were before.</p><p><br/>“Good.” Cloud nods. He places the VR headset in his other hand back down to the charging port, (next to where his phone was resting before), and makes sure to plug the thing back in so he doesn’t get chided for not. “If that’s all then I have somewhere to be.”</p><p><br/>“Fine.” The chicken-framed man responds curtly. “Just be back here next week at 8AM for your follow-ups.”</p><p><br/>A nod is all the man is given in return. With that, he spins on his heel and makes his way to the door. As the electronic door slides open with a faint whir, the administrator calls out, “And <em>don’t</em> be late, or it goes on your file.”</p><p><br/>“Fine.” Cloud responds back with the same tone he had been given, then promptly leaves the room and the door whirs shut behind him.</p><p><br/>He really didn’t like how pompous those test administrators could be. As Zack puts it, they’re more like ‘glorified interns that think they’re hot shit’. (Well, Cloud thinks the hot shit part－his boyfriend calls it something else but it slips his mind.)</p><p><br/>He makes a noise of recollection and fishes his phone out of his pocket. He ought to let Zack know he finished his tests before heading back.<br/>Thumbs glide over the smooth glass screen and tap away at the virtual keyboard embedded into it, sending a quick ‘just got done with tests, I’ll be back soon’, text. When the message displays it’s sent, he re-pockets his phone and makes his way to the elevators.</p><p><br/>His hands build up a small amount of nervous sweat and Cloud shakes them out. He chides himself. There’s nothing to be nervous about. Whatever important matter that needed to be discussed wasn’t bad.</p><p><br/>Still, it didn’t stop his overactive nerves from making him fearful of the hence-coming encounter.</p><p><br/>He shakes his hands out again when he steps into the elevator and presses the right floor button, shaking his head too when the doors close and the box begins to rise.</p><p><br/>He really hates letting his imagination run wild, but it’s like second-nature to him; it’s something he’s always done for as long as he can remember. But as long as his imagination is busy playing scenarios of the inevitable conversation, it at least keeps him from feeling motion sickness in the elevator.<br/>Thankfully, by the time he’s aware he should be feeling sick, the elevator stops ascending and groans its doors open for him.</p><p><br/>Cloud steps out of it and into the familiar hallway he had trekked and tracked for years now, having been coming to this floor very often over the course of his relationship with his kindred spirit, (once proclaimed mentor and best friend to boot.)</p><p><br/>As he walks, his eyes scan over the familiar nameplates of other SOLDIERs flats housed on this floor posted next to their doors: There’s Addams A., Buchanan J., (they seem like pretty nice people－Cloud had only met them twice back when he was still in the mentoring program.) And there’s Delgado L. and Everette T. on the other side. (He’s run into them a bunch of times since coming to his floor－Mr. Everette makes some mean snickerdoodle cookies and he’s been into Mr. Delgado’s flat once or twice.)</p><p><br/>Then his eyes cross a nameplate that makes a smile trace his face and his eyes light in tandem; Fair Z.</p><p><br/>The lock on the door is open, (he knows due to the green glowing light above the key-card scanner), so he pushes open the metallic door and enters the flat he’s shared with him more times than he can count.</p><p><br/>The first thing that enters Cloud’s head is how quiet it is. Normally when Zack is home he’s usually watching TV in the living room－where he just walked into now－or listening to music while working out in the spare room.</p><p><br/>But there’s no TV on, and there’s no music coming from beyond the hallway. In fact, all the lights in the living room and from what he can see in the kitchen are off.</p><p><br/>Is he not home?</p><p><br/>“Zack?” Cloud calls as he looks around the room again, toeing his boots off by the front door as he does.</p><p><br/>Silence greets his ears and he hums a flat key.</p><p><br/>Odd… Why would Zack tell him to come back here if he wasn’t even here?</p><p><br/>He steps away from the front door and decides to head to the bedroom. That’s probably where he might be if the lights in the kitchen and living room are off.</p><p><br/>At least, he hoped he would be in the bedroom.</p><p><br/>It wasn’t like Zack to just greet him with silence when he came home.</p><p><br/>He steps through the hall and to the last door on the left, where the bedroom is. The wooden door is shut and Cloud hums another flat key.<br/>He opens the door and－</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>“Hi squeaker!”</em>
</p><p><br/>Cloud’s heart lurches into his throat and he lets out a squeaky yelp in response to the sudden shout. He places a hand over his chest and it’s then Zack steps out from behind the door beaming wildly at him.</p><p><br/>He adopts an annoyed look. “You <em>asshole!</em>” He fumes as he punches his right arm.</p><p><br/>“Ow! Ow! I’m sorry!” Zack yelps back and holds his hands up in surrender with a little flinch.</p><p><br/>“If you were really sorry then you wouldn’t have done it!” Cloud huffs as he punches his arm again for good measure, using a line his mother often used on him when he was a child.</p><p><br/>“Okay, okay, point taken! Just don’t punch me again!” Zack laughs and rubs at his arm. (He’s in oddly good spirits for someone so overworked.)</p><p><br/>Come to think of it, why is Zack even here? It’s a Thursday at 10AM, and he’s normally training fresh recruits around this time.</p><p><br/>“Well then,” Cloud clears his throat. “Now that you’ve scared the shit out of me and had your fun, what’s this ‘important thing’ we need to talk about?”</p><p><br/>Guess he’d find out why after this talk.</p><p><br/>“Oh, oh right!” Zack’s face lights up even more (if that was even possible), and he bounds over to the closet. “Before we get to that, take a look in here.” He says as he gently thumbs the sliding door open a little.</p><p><br/>“You want me to look in the closet?” Cloud deadpans.</p><p><br/>“C’mon, Squeaker－humor me.”</p><p><br/>He sighs, but trudges his way over to the closet. He places his hand on the door and looks at his boyfriend.</p><p><br/>“Go on,” Zack urges with a smile. “Open it.”</p><p><br/>“Zackary Fair, I <em>swear</em> to Minerva this better not be one of your－”</p><p><br/>But he stops his accusation dead in its tracks when he sees a peculiar sight sitting on the closet floor.</p><p><br/>Two black suitcases he knew belonged to them both sat on the closet floor looking a touch overstuffed. (One of the zippers couldn’t even zip closed all the way.)</p><p><br/>Then he feels arms wrap around his middle and the familiar weight of Zack’s face settles on his left shoulder. “Surprise~” He gently sings.</p><p><br/>“What’s the surprise?” Cloud asks as he tilts his face to touch his boyfriend’s. “An eviction notice?”</p><p><br/>“Hmm… kinda.” Zack hums and kisses his cheek. “Guess again.”</p><p><br/>“We’re moving flats?”</p><p><br/>Zack makes an incorrect game-show buzzer noise. “Guess again.” he repeats with a smile.</p><p><br/>It’s Cloud’s turn to hum, and he does so thoughtfully. It could be considered an eviction for the both of them and they aren’t moving flats, so…</p><p><br/>His eyes widen in realization and he whips his head all the way over to stare at Zack. “Shut up.”</p><p><br/>His boyfriend laughs deeply and gives his middle a light squeeze. “Not the right answer, but I think you know what it is now~”</p><p><br/>“We’re going on <em>vacation??”</em> Cloud tone perks and there’s excitement gleaming in his eyes.</p><p><br/>“We sure are, Sunshine! Got it approved by Lazard this morning after you left!”</p><p><br/>Cloud makes a happy squeal that cracks his voice and he spins in the hold he’s in and squeeze-hugs his boyfriend as tight as he can. “When are we going?? <em>Where</em> are we going?? How long are we gonna be gone??”</p><p><br/>It’s not common when Cloud shows his own hyperactive side, but it definitely comes out when he’s practically drunk with excitement.</p><p><br/>Zack laughs with a full, amused tone and kisses the top of his head. “We’re going on a cruise to Costa Del Sol first thing tomorrow morning, and we’ll be there for a whole week!”</p><p><br/><em>“Holy shit!!”</em> Cloud cries. “I’ve <em>always</em> wanted to go there!!”</p><p><br/>His excitement is so off the charts he’s pretty sure the neighbors can hear him shout.</p><p><br/>Zack laughs even more with the warmest tone he’s ever heard. “I know－that’s why I picked it.”</p><p><br/>“How－How’d you even manage to get approved for vacation? Let alone approve <em>me</em> too??”</p><p><br/>Zack tilts his head back and haughtily responds. “I told Lazard if he knew what was good for him he’d let us take some vay-cay!” He deflates back to normal. “Actually I just told him we were really overworked and if we didn’t get a break soon <em>more</em> than just our work morale would be fried.”</p><p><br/>Cloud hugs him even tighter and even give him a big, sloppy smooch on his lips. He just can’t believe they’re going on vacation! They can finally spend some quality time together, (rather than just stare at a TV screen with some take-out every night.)</p><p> </p><p>He hoped his excitement would let him be able to sleep tonight!</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The vay-cay is /on/! And will be expanded upon further in the next chapter! :) hope you guys liked it! See you tomorrow for the next chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Warm Arrival</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>*deep Sr Pelo voice* it's time for the vacation</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>OMG my browser updated and now I don't have to spend 8 million years re-editing my documents!! Ahhh!!! 🤣 AND I can add smiley faces like this?? AMAZING.<br/>Okay, enough of that haha! </p><p>Enjoy the chapter! 😊</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Zack, put me down－do not do <em>not</em> carry me off this boat.”</p><p>“Sorry, what was that? Didn’t quite hear you~”</p><p>“I swear to Odin please <em>people are staring!</em>”</p><p>“So?”</p><p>“They’re going to find out it was <em>me </em>who puked all over the deck! <em>Please </em>put me down~!”</p><p>“I <em>would</em> put you down, but here’s the thing, Squeaker－you couldn’t even stand on your own two feet in the cabin.”</p><p>“That was then this is－ohh Goddess they’re staring…!”</p><p>Cloud ducks his face behind the safety of his hands, embarrassment burning so bright in his cheeks he can feel the warmth radiating from them.</p><p>He didn’t <em>mean </em>to ralph all over the deck, in broad daylight, during an event, in front of dozens of people, on the cruise ship heading to Costa Del Sol… it just happened okay??</p><p>Motion sickness is absolute hell, and now he has grade-A embarrassment written all over his face from it.</p><p>But he hears Zack laugh. “They aren’t going to care, Cloud! Motion sickness can happen to anyone! Besides, we’re already almost off the boat－what good would putting you down now do?”</p><p>“It would do my already shredded dignity good.” Cloud mutters from behind his hands. (He’s going to keep them glued to his face until they’re off the boat and in front of their resort.)</p><p>“What do you mean <em>shredded dignity</em>? You still have your dignity!”</p><p>Cloud drops his hands from his face and fists Zack’s muscle shirt. <em>“Do you know how much shrimp I ate?? </em>It was… so pink… and green…” His face pales remembering the color of his spewage alone.</p><p>“Cloud, half of the people on the deck were paying attention to the band anyway. The trumpets were so loud I don’t think anyone could even <em>hear</em> you.”</p><p>“Still!” He argues back, shaking that shirt seized in his fists.</p><p>“Well, it’s not like you have to worry about it anymore.”</p><p>“What? Of course I－”</p><p>“We’re already off the boat, Squeaker.”</p><p>Cloud finally breaks his eyes away and glances over his boyfriend’s shoulder. Sure enough, they aren’t on the cruise ship anymore.</p><p>In fact, they’re on the docks and a few paces away from the boat altogether. But it’s not the sight of the boat in the close distance that makes him inhale with awe.</p><p>It’s the scenery.</p><p>Stretching out on either side of the docks lay the scintillating sandy white beaches of Costa. The grains are lined with shells, and the waves lap against the shore, turning some of those grains into a mocked version of mud. And the palm trees! He had never known palm trees could grow to be so tall! They stretch so high and the way their fan-like palms sway in the salty summer breeze is breathtaking in and of itself. And the afternoon sunlight beaming off the aquiline ocean radiates back to his eyes and makes them shimmer like unblemished diamonds.</p><p>Being here almost makes him feel like a child waking up on Christmas morning.</p><p>“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Zack sighs.</p><p>Cloud turns his head to look at and agree with him, but finds Zack isn’t looking at the beach, or the trees, or the ocean.</p><p>He’s looking at him.</p><p>Cloud plays chameleon and flushes deep shades of rubicund red and he’s embarrassed all over again. <em>Only this time it’s not because he puked all over a cruise ship.</em></p><p>Instead of hiding his face, he clocks his boyfriend’s right shoulder. “Just put me down already.” He huffs.</p><p>“Okay, okay, no need to get violent!” Zack laughs and eases him back to solid ground. “At least now I can take our luggage off my back and have you help with it.”</p><p>Within moments, Cloud’s luggage is by his feet and he takes the call to lift it up and hook it over his shoulder.</p><p>“And with that settled,” Zack quickly bows at him, “Come M’lord－your estate awaits you.” He properly speaks with a big, goofy smile.</p><p>Cloud rolls his eyes so hard he can feel them move to the back of his head. “<em>Why</em> am I dating you?”</p><p>“Cause you like me~” Zack titters as he leans close and flutters his eyelashes across his cheek, giving him butterfly kisses.</p><p>“Yeah, and remind me why I <em>do.</em>” Cloud jokes, attempting to stave off another chameleon blush with a sassy retort.</p><p>“Probably the one-of-a-kind charm, or maybe my dashing good looks, or my winning personality?”</p><p>“Oh, right, how could I forget!” Cloud gasps, then deadpans, “I’m attracted to <em>morons</em>.”</p><p>“<em>Hey</em>…” Zack leers for a moment, but the grin on his face returns blindingly fast. “Well, you said it, not me! I <em>know</em> I’m a goofball, but <em>you </em>know that’s why you like me! Ha-ha!” He playfully mocks.</p><p>Hot steam of nervousness blows out the top of Cloud’s head and he pushes his boyfriend away, then hurries ahead with his luggage.</p><p>“Cloud, wait! I was just teasing- come back! You don’t even know where the resort is－!”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! I know it's a bit on the short side, but I figured it'd be the best place to cut off lol!<br/>Next chapter tomorrow!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Sunscape</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Beach time~!!</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Not gonna lie, I had a ton of fun writing all these chapters for this theme 😉 (Got worried for the last chapter for a bit - I had writer's block for like, three days! But thankfully I unblocked it! 😂)</p><p>Anyway, happy reading! :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If Cloud thought the five-star resort was grandeur and stunning, he’s definitely awestruck when he sees their room.</p><p>It’s washed in soft reds and rich tans and reminds him of a south-side villa. The furniture looks extravagant and slick, and all the chairs and cushions of the like look so puffy and soft. Even the bed looks like what he’s named after and it’s adorned with cushy-looking pillows and silken sheets.</p><p>Zack booked them a luxurious suite on the top floor of the resort facing the most beautiful side of the ocean and all the tall palm trees. Actually they were almost as tall as those trees now at the top floor.</p><p>It’s amazing.</p><p>Once his eyes spot a balcony behind a set of double-glass doors in their room, he immediately tosses his luggage down and makes a beeline for it.</p><p>“Hey, calm down there, Sunshine－the view’s not going anywhere.” He hears Zack chide warmly.</p><p>But he ignores it and throws those doors open, curtains draping it fluttering about in the salty breeze. It ruffles his aqua tank-top and makes his black cargo shorts wave about like the curtains and his nose is full of warmth and the smell of salt and ocean.</p><p>He bounds across the balcony and splays his hands over the warm brown marble, leaning his whole body over it when that warmth drags him in, beckoning him to practically melt against it.</p><p>Cloud gazes out and can see tourists lining the beaches, walking along the shores, playing volleyball, and splashing each other in the water too. And the sun beams down on them with the intensity of a magnifying glass, but it’s just so warm and comforting they don’t seem to care.</p><p>Oh, and the air up here on the fifth floor－so cool, so tinted with sand and ocean and fruity cocktails. It’s an absolute paradise.</p><p>Even if Cloud’s never been a fan of extreme heat and thick humidity, he can somehow handle it here. He actually welcomes the hot climate and thick air and closes his eyes, a breeze fluttering by his face as he did.</p><p>Then he feels a familiar warmth drape behind him, pressing into his back and wrapping around his middle. Then a familiar weight settles on his shoulder and he knows exactly what－or in this case who－is the cause.</p><p>“Can’t beat the view up here, huh?” Zack purrs next to his ear.</p><p>“It’s amazing…” Cloud says as he takes in another deep hit of tropical air.</p><p>“And it’s only gonna get better too.” Zack gently squeezes his middle and plants a kiss to his neck. “It’s so nice to finally be away from work and Shin-Ra and Midgar…”</p><p>“Yeah...”</p><p>“We can finally relax and spend some quality time together...”</p><p>A deep kiss is placed at the base of Cloud’s neck and he shudders in tandem. He can’t even remember the last time they were even <em>remotely </em>intimate like this.</p><p>He had a feeling he knew what they’d be doing later.</p><p>(Each other.)</p><p>Zack pulls away with a gentle hum and a smile. “Well, what do you say we do as the Romans do and get some beach time?”</p><p>“Thought you’d never ask.” Cloud agrees with a smile of his own.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/>Now that they’re at the beach, he realizes the hardest part about being down here is finding enough space to set up their things.</p><p>Towels and blankets and people line the beach haphazardly like a buffet line with no clear direction of where to stand or go after paying.</p><p>“You see any open spots?” He asks as he glances back behind him.</p><p>Zack’s hand is over his eyes－even though he’s got purple sport-sunglasses on－and it looks as though he’s seriously scouting for the best plot. In his other hand is a basket full of what Cloud presumably guesses is a bunch of beach shit, and an umbrella looped through the handles. (He wasn’t in charge of the beach packing, so he doesn’t know <em>what’s</em> in there.)</p><p>“Hmm… south side of the beach is pretty crowded.” He comments. “We might have more luck on the east side.”</p><p>“How far off is that?”</p><p>“Bout a ten minute walk from here I’d guess.”</p><p>Zack finally takes his free hand away from his eyes and grins instead. “That sound okay to you? I know you aren’t very good about moving around in the heat.”</p><p>“I should be fine, there’s a breeze after all.” Cloud nods.</p><p>The aforementioned breeze picks up and ruffles their hair around, picking up loose sand and spraying it across the beach too.</p><p>It, unfortunately, decides to blow stray sand directly into Cloud’s eyes and he goes to rub it out with a hiss.</p><p>“Leave it to me to forget my sunglasses.” He mutters as his eyes water fiercely.</p><p>Just as he pulls his hands from his eyes, he feels something slide over his face and rest on his ears and nose. He opens his irritated eyes to discover the world is tinted lavender and Zack’s shades aren’t over his eyes anymore.</p><p>“That better, Sunbeam?” He smiles as warm as the breeze, which is now ruffling his boyfriend’s two-toned orange muscle shirt and sunflower embroidered swim trunks.</p><p>“Y-Yeah…” Cloud nods as he pivots his face away.</p><p>“Okay, let’s move.” Zack smiles again.</p><p>He’s gently nudged to walk forward, so he does, and his boyfriend falls to an even stride with him.</p><p>When he gets too close to stepping on someone’s laid out towel, he’s reigned in a little closer and a hand rests on his hip, keeping him close and guiding him through the packed beach too.</p><p>Physical affection in public always makes him nervous, and that rule still applies even on vacation. His tucks his head down to look at the sand he’s walking on, hoping that no one is judging him for some reason.</p><p>“Hey, head up,” Zack says. “If you keep looking at the sand you’ll miss the rest of the sights.”</p><p>“...But－”</p><p>Before he can even get his protest out, the hand guiding him by the hip raises up to his face and tilts his chin up.</p><p>“No buts.” Zack sharply affirms as his hand goes back to his hip, but this time he gently circles it. “We’re here to have fun, relax, and most importantly, not give a crap about what people think and spend some time together.”</p><p>“But what if－”</p><p>“Look around, Squeaker. You really think people are going to judge you? <em>Us?</em>”</p><p>Cloud does look around. And he sees couples of all shapes and sizes and builds and everything spending time together; openly cuddling on their beach towels, kissing under the sun, embracing in the ocean… any and all kinds of affection unbridled and unrestrained.</p><p>“We’re on vacation so we can do more of what everyone else is doing－being close and having fun. That’s what it’s all about, yeah?”</p><p>“I… I guess so.” Cloud admits bashfully.</p><p>Zack pulls him closer and hugs him as they walk. “So don’t worry about it, ‘kay?”</p><p>“I mean, I can try. But you know me… I worry about everything.”</p><p>Suddenly, they stop walking. (More like Zack stops abruptly and since he’s holding onto him, he’s nearly pulled back to stop.)</p><p>Then without warning Zack drops the stuff in his other hand, dips him back and fully kisses him on the lips in the middle of the crowded beach.</p><p>His face is completely red and he can barely bring himself to return the affection (which he totally would in a heartbeat with no one else around).</p><p>He hears some people <em>‘ooh!’, </em>and some go <em>‘aww!’.</em></p><p>After what feels like too long, Zack finally pulls him back up and breaks off the intense kiss with a faint <em>pop</em>.</p><p>Cloud’s eyes are nervously glancing around, hoping that people weren’t giving them scrutinizing glares or whispering to one another behind their hands.</p><p>But they aren’t.</p><p>In fact, some people don’t even notice or care.</p><p>One guy sitting with another guy actually gives them a big, cheeky grin and a thumbs up and the other is grinning wildly. And two girls nearby them are giggling, but not in a derogatory way at all.</p><p>“See?” Zack hums. “People don’t care here, or they think it’s cute. So there’s absolutely nothing to worry about <em>or </em>be skittish over.”</p><p>“O-Okay…” Cloud stutters as he does his best to fight off his nervous red blush staining his cheeks.</p><p>The stuff that had been dropped is reclaimed with one swift, fluid motion and Zack’s other hand is back on his hip to guide him again. Though this time, Cloud doesn’t actually feel as self-conscious about it.</p><p>“Hey!” A voice calls.</p><p>Both their heads turn and they see the guy who gave them a thumbs up from earlier calling out.</p><p>“You guys looking for a spot?” He asked. The other guy on his left smiled bright and invitingly.</p><p>“Sure are!” Zack called back.</p><p>The guy who smiled nodded at the other guy, then started moving some stuff around.</p><p>“We can make room for you if you’d like!”</p><p>“You sure about that?” Zack asks.</p><p>“Of course! Anyone who pulls a move like that with his guy on the beach is cool in our books!” The bigger thumbs-up guy laughs.</p><p>“Alright! We’ll take you up on that offer!”</p><p><em>Now</em> Cloud wants to hide his face in embarrassment. Now they have to sit and chat with the guys that saw them practically make out right in front of them.</p><p>He wanted to bury himself in the sand and let the tide take him out.</p><p>He kept quiet the entire time and stood off to the side while Zack set up their things and made small talk with the thumbs-up guy, who also helped him set up.</p><p>“Hey blondie, you nervous?” The not as big guy calls from his spot under his umbrella.</p><p>When Cloud realized it’s him who’s being talked to, he stammered out a “uh, a- a little.”</p><p>“I know what you mean－I’ve been there, trust me, even if it doesn’t look it!” He smiles.</p><p>That makes Cloud feel way less nervous and shy. So he approaches the smaller guy under the umbrella so they don’t have to practically shout over the ocean.</p><p>“Nice ta meet’cha! Name’s Johnny!” The guy introduces as he holds out a hand.</p><p>“Cloud.” He greets back and takes the offer.</p><p>His hand is shook with great exuberance and a tight grip that almost shakes his whole body. Guy seems like a live-wire.</p><p>He kinda looks like one too, with that slicked back reddish hair and interestingly styled facial hair and toned frame.</p><p>“And that hulking hunk over there’s my boyfriend－Roche. He’s about as crazy as me!” He laughs loudly.</p><p><em>‘Oh boy.’</em> Cloud thinks. <em>‘At least Zack’ll get along with them </em>great<em>.’</em></p><p>“Heyo!” Roche greets with a massive, lopsided smile.</p><p>He looks not only like a live-wire, but one wriggling all over the ground with electricity crackling out of it. His long blond hair is a mix of wild mullet and long mane and he’s just about as ripped as Zack.</p><p>“Hey yourself.” Cloud greets back.</p><p>“So, Cloud,” Johnny muses. “This your first time to Costa?”</p><p>He nods. “Yeah. I don’t think it’s Zack’s－my boyfriend’s－first. But it’s definitely mine.”</p><p>“I can tell!” Johnny laughs. “You look paler than the white bed sheets at the resort!”</p><p>Cloud knows he’s probably just joking with him, but he still doesn’t know him well enough to take it at face value and it cuts a little.</p><p>It must have shown on his face because Johnny’s quick to talk again. “I don’t mean that to be rude or anything, bro. Roche’s borrowing the brain cell right now trying to help your guy set up.”</p><p>Ah, the whole ‘sharing the same brain cell’ mentality.</p><p>“And I’m not giving it back for a long time either!” Roche laughs loudly, and Zack does too and even Johnny as well.</p><p>Zack is going to get along with them <em>swimmingly</em>.</p><p>Cloud just hopes he’s not the only one with some common sense among them all.</p><p>“Alright, that ought'a do it!” Zack beams.</p><p>When Cloud looks over, he sees their things set up right next to Johnny and Roche’s. Among the things sit his boyfriend’s favorite cactuar towel, his own favorite chocobo towel, a bottle of spray on sunblock and a bottle of lotion based sunscreen, a deflated beach ball, some other knick-knacks still in their basket, and their pinstriped blue and purple umbrella is dug and anchored into the sand.</p><p>“Four hands are better than two!” Roche agrees.</p><p>And then they both high-five.</p><p>Well, they certainly became fast friends, didn’t they?</p><p>Cloud knows it won’t be as easy to befriend them as Zack does. He’s just too aloof and insecure to open up so easily.</p><p>His boyfriend plops down on his towel and stretches out with a lofty sigh, eyes closed and basking in the tropical warmth for a moment. Then he makes a noise of recollection and sits up straight, grabs, then twirls a bottle of the lotion-based sunscreen in his hand.</p><p>“Sunbeam－come here.” Zack beckons with a warm smile.</p><p>Cloud pulls away from Johnny with as much of a pleasant parting grin as he can muster and steps up just a few feet away where their stuff is set up.</p><p>“<em>All </em>the way here.” Zack’s smile grows.</p><p>He fights the urge to roll his eyes and sits down in front of him. There’s fond laughter, then the purple-tinted sunglasses are taken from his face and the world is twice as bright. It makes him wince out of reflex. (It’s bright even under the umbrella.)</p><p>Just as his eyes adjust to the light, Zack smears a big blob of sunscreen down his nose, then on his cheeks. He makes a noise of annoyance and goes to pull his face away. He hates it on his face. <em>It smells.</em></p><p>“Hey, don’t squirm－I just want to be sure you won’t get burned.”</p><p>He doesn’t get to squirm away because Zack pulls him in between his legs and holds him with one arm, then uses his other hand to rub the lotion across his face.</p><p>“Did you <em>have</em> to put it on so thick? You <em>know </em>I hate how it smells.” Cloud groans as it’s rubbed into his forehead.</p><p>“I know how bad you burn in the sun, Squeaker. If you can barely handle an hour in the sun in Gongaga then you won’t last fifteen minutes out here.” Zack reminds as he massages the stuff against the back of his neck next. (It makes him wriggle.) “Now stop moving around, silly.”</p><p>Cloud would rather put it on himself, since he could control how much to apply and <em>where </em>to apply it, but when Zack felt like his well-being on any matter was at stake, then it was no use arguing or fighting with him.</p><p>“Aww, that’s cute~!” Johnny cooed. “Roche, why don’t you ever put sunscreen on me like that?”</p><p>“You don’t ask, Hothead.”</p><p>“Put sunscreen on me! C’mon, please?”</p><p>Cloud watches the encounter from the corner of his eye, wanting to know how two (probably worse than) Zack-like goofs would handle this.</p><p>Roche grabs a bottle of lotion from a bag with seagulls on it and pops the lid, completely dousing his hand with a giant pile of sunscreen. Then he spins around and smacks it right into Johnny’s face.</p><p>“Bon appétit, babe!” He cackles.</p><p>But Johnny is laughing too, and takes a glob from his nose and chucks it right back at Roche.</p><p>“Bone app the teeth to you too!” He cackles back.</p><p>Cloud almost cringes hearing that phrase said wrong, but at the same time he can’t help but snicker at it. When that harsh snort does come from his throat, he passes it off as a cough so no one catches on.</p><p>Zack does though.</p><p>“They look like they have loads of fun.” He mentions as he applies more sunscreen to parts of his back not covered by his tank-top.</p><p>“I guess so.” Cloud agrees, starting to feel more relaxed by the action and less annoyed with it. (Though the smell still sucks.)</p><p>“And we’ll be having loads of fun too, won’t we, Squeaker?” He feels a kiss placed on the back of his head.</p><p>“Of course,” Cloud agrees. “We’ll have even more fun when you stop calling me squeaker.”</p><p>“Yeah, I’m not gonna do that.” Zack smirks. “Why would I stop when we both know it’s true?” He darkly titters as he nips at his neck.</p><p>True to the namesake, Cloud lets out a squeaky yelp and chills break out across his arms. But when he realizes he did squeak, he smacks his boyfriend’s leg as hard as he can.</p><p>“You’ll have to smack me harder than that to get me to stop calling you that!”</p><p>Oh, he <em>would</em>. But he doesn’t want to be an absolute ass so he doesn’t. Deep down, the nickname Squeaker doesn’t actually bother him－he just pretends it does. (He won’t admit it out loud, but he actually likes it.)</p><p>“Hey, we’re gonna go fuck around in the ocean for a while!” Roche exclaims, catching both their attention. “Feel free to join us if you want!”</p><p>“Yeah, more the merrier as they always say!” Johnny agrees before he bounds off towards the water.</p><p>Roche follows close behind at his heels, attempting to pinch him the entire way there.</p><p>“As fun as that sounds, I think I just want to sit here for a bit and soak this all up.” Zack admits with a soft hum.</p><p>“Me too.” Cloud agrees.</p><p>After all, they have an entire week to do whatever they want.</p><p>So for now, they’re going to take it slow and relax, soaking up the sun with each other thousands of miles away from their daily routine.</p><p>He closes his eyes while his ears drink up the sound of the waves lapping, the chatter swelling, and the birds cawing. He smiles when he feels those warm, familiar arms wrap around him and he rests his hands on them.</p><p>This vacation is <em>just </em>what they needed.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope you liked it, or thought it was cute, or silly, or anything really! 😊 Let me know what you did think of it if you want!</p><p>(Also, I hope the story formatting is okay and easy to read. It looks a bit bunched when I put it through the editor.)</p><p>See you in the next chapter tomorrow!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Aloe</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sometimes even after diligent applications of sunscreen - some still manage to burn</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So yeah, Johnny/Roche, pretty crazy energy huh? Ngl, I had /waaaay/ too much fun writing that XD<br/>Anyway, I won't ramble too much!</p><p>Happy reading! :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“May-be we should have applied <em>three </em>coats...” Zack nervously mentions.</p><p>“And by three I’m sure you mean three <em>hundred.</em>” Cloud winces.</p><p>He doesn’t want to move. If he moves, it’ll sting. If it stings it’ll burn. If it burns he’ll want to scratch. If he scratches, then he repeats step one all over again.</p><p>He spent too much time fooling around in the ocean and now he has to pay the price. Especially the expensive tax of turning into a lobster after not applying a fresh layer of sunscreen every hour <em>on </em>the hour. Cloud’s got angry red sunburns across his forehead, cheeks, and nose, and even splashed across his shoulders. It’s around parts of his neck and back that weren’t covered by his tank-top too.</p><p>He’s lucky enough he didn’t get burned anywhere else, knowing his frothy complexion.</p><p>He shoots angry Mako blue eyes at Zack, narrowing them at how <em>not</em> sunburnt his boyfriend is. “You suck.” He insults.</p><p>“I <em>suck?</em>” Zack gasps and places his hands on his hips. (His skin barely even looks darker, and he has no red <em>anywhere </em>on his body.)</p><p>“Yeah.” Cloud grumbles, his nose crinkling and wincing immediately after. “You and your good genetics and shit…”</p><p>“Sorry I can’t pass those on to you.” Zack sheepishly laughs, almost as if it was something he <em>could </em>do but forgot <em>how </em>to.</p><p>“You’ll be sorry alright…” Cloud huffs.</p><p>“Actually, I think <em>you’ll</em> be sorry.” Zack smirks. “I brought some aloe vera just in case this would happen, but since you’re being a sass… I don’t know if I should share.”</p><p>Cloud’s eyes widen and his mouth gapes a little. He shuffles over to him and clings to his arm. “I’m sorry, I take it back.” He quickly pouts.</p><p>A wild smile flourishes across his boyfriend’s face. “Okay, okay, but only because you’re so cute~” He coos and taps his red nose with his index finger. (It leaves a quick, pale mark before flushing red again.)</p><p>“Is it in the bag?” Cloud asks as his eyes quickly dart over to their things still planted to their spot on the beach.</p><p>“Actually, I left it in our resort room.” Zack nervously laughs again. “I didn’t think we’d already be needing it!”</p><p>“Let’s go, let’s go!” he starts to nudge his boyfriend over to their things. “Before I get even more crispy!”</p><p>“Alright.” Zack exhales. He leads the way back to their things a few meters away with his hands locked behind his head. But he glances behind him. “But it’s kinda cute－you being red and all.”</p><p><em>“Cute?”</em> Cloud deadpans. He actually stops walking for a moment.</p><p>Zack turns on his heel to answer with probably a laugh, but the way he stops and stares at him like he’s lost in thought, causes him to blush.</p><p>“Now what?” He harrumphs and crosses his arms over his chest. “I look like a cute <em>lobster</em>? Is <em>that </em>what you wanna say?”</p><p>“...You’re beautiful.” Zack softly blurts.</p><p>He drops the look on his toasty-red face and now he looks just as absent as his boyfriend does.</p><p>“You, standing in front of the ocean while it touches the sunset, the waves rolling, the orange of the sun shining off your hair… even the sunburn on your face－the way it brings out those freckles underneath your eyes…”</p><p>Cloud blushes as bright red as the sunburn on his face and turns his head away, staring at a scallop in the sand a few inches from his feet.</p><p>Sand shifts, and suddenly there are warm hands grabbing his. It forces him to fix his eyes back to where they were before and it’s hard to breathe now.</p><p>Zack stares at him with the most loving, awe-struck expression he’s ever seen on that goofy face.</p><p>“What did I ever do to deserve a literal ray of speckled sun shining right next to me?”</p><p>That…</p><p>That’s the sweetest, dumbest, <em>sappiest</em> line he’s <em>ever</em> heard.</p><p>But fuck, it works.</p><p>It works so well his brain immediately resets itself to factory settings. “I-I don’t know, sounds like you messed up pretty badly to end up with me.” He manages to tear his eyes away somehow. “I’m no sun.”</p><p>When he’s back in ‘factory setting mode’, (his definition of reverting back to old habits before he started dating Zack), his first course of action is to either undermine himself or try and laugh it off with a joke. This time it’s the undermining that pops out first.<br/>(It’s a real curse being burdened with insecurity.)</p><p>It’s then he’s pulled into an embrace without warning, and it’s tight, but not tight enough that it hurts or makes his fresh sunburns sting. He feels that familiar face settle next to his and a deep kiss is placed on his sun-ripened cheek.</p><p>“You’re right, you’re not a sun－” Zack’s voice is soft, but deep and full of thick affection. “－You’re a supernova.”</p><p>Oh no－now the factory settings are switching on the defense systems because now there are tears swelling in his eyes. Crying is a <em>horrible </em>line of defense.</p><p>Quick, reroute that line of defense!</p><p>“I didn’t even think you h-had the smarts to know what a supernova is…” Cloud’s voice hiccups and fills with water.</p><p>But it makes Zack laugh heartily, and it’s enough to make him laugh too and clear some of that water from his eyes and throat.</p><p>“Contrary to popular belief, I can have my wits about me.” He smiles and kisses his cheek again. “Like, did you know cows have four different compartments in their stomachs?”</p><p>Cloud laughs and hugs him as tight as he can. His boyfriend may be the cause of his factory resets sometimes, but thankfully he always carries around the override key－a good distracting joke, some ridiculous fact, or the softest of kisses.</p><p>“Okay, now that I’ve distracted us long enough, let’s get back to the resort and get some aloe on those burns.” Zack reminds as he pecks his cheek one last time.</p><p>“Okay.” Cloud agrees.</p><p>“Oi! You lovebirds still here?” A voice laughs.</p><p>They both turn their heads to see Roche leading the way toward them, Johnny close behind with a beach ball in hand. They both smirk and smile at them when they stop walking and stand nearby.</p><p>That’s right, those two went out to play some beach volleyball a while ago. They must’ve just finished.</p><p>“We’re just about to call it a day－Red-nosed Reindeer needs some aloe vera.” Zack thumbs over to Cloud with a lopsided smirk.</p><p>For that, Cloud punches him in the gut nonchalantly. He crosses his arms over his chest as his boyfriend lets out a winded groan, stepping away from him with a wince.</p><p>“Nice punch!” Johnny compliments with a thumbs-up.</p><p>“Could’a had a better follow through, but not bad.” Roche agrees with a hum.</p><p>“Not… cool…” Zack wheezes. (But there’s a half-smirk on his face, so he knows he’s not in any <em>real </em>pain.) “After the heart-to-heart we shared, you… you up and punch me?”</p><p>“You asked for it when you called me a red-nosed reindeer.”</p><p>Johnny sputters out a raucous laugh, all in with his hands on his knees and his upper body slouched over. He even dropped the beach ball in the process.</p><p>“So, me and Hothead over here were thinkin’ about hitting up a nice place to wine and dine.” Roche states as he points his thumb back towards the area of the resort. “Good food, good drinks… you guys would be welcome to tear it up with us.”</p><p>“Oh yeah!” Johnny agrees, recovering from his laugh with lightning speed. “<em>Best</em> chicken zingers you’ll eat this side of Gaia!”</p><p>“Sounds tempting,” Zack muses as he shakes off the punch to his gut with ease (pretty much just acting like it hurt worse, of course). “When were you thinking about going?”</p><p>“Probably after we freshen up at the resort. Always could use a couple of cool cats to hang with.” Roche nods and smirks.</p><p>“Yeah, vacations can get <em>so</em> boring after a while by yourselves.” Johnny pipes up.</p><p>“I dunno… what do <em>you </em>think Cloud?” Zack asks. “This <em>is </em>your first time in Costa, so I want you to decide.”</p><p>“Me?” Cloud blinks.</p><p>He just likes going with the flow－he’s not really into decision-making. (That’s more of Zack’s thing.)</p><p>He doesn’t want to say no per say, but he does want to spend more alone time with his boyfriend… but whatever a chicken zinger is sounds good too… and he still needs some aloe for his sunburns… And he’d like to freshen up too… dinner doesn’t sound too bad… But he also wants to be a little lazy after all this time in the sand and sun…</p><p>He can practically <em>feel</em> the buffering symbol spinning above his head and it makes him sweat.</p><p>“So?” Zack asks with a patient smile. “What do you wanna do?”</p><p>He looks at Roche and Johnny and they’re giving him energetic looking grins. They look like they want them to come. (Though why they would want to hang out with complete strangers they just met this afternoon baffles him.) He looks at his boyfriend again and his smile grows.</p><p>“I…”</p><p>“...Yeah?” Zack beams brighter.</p><p>Cloud tucks himself next to him, almost like he’s trying to hide behind him. “…I want you to decide.” He quietly admits.</p><p>“Cloud,” Zack says his name almost as if he’s about to chide him, but he doesn’t. “…are you sure that’s what <em>you</em> want?”</p><p>He simply nods his head and fixes his eyes to the darkening sand. He feels a hand run across his back.</p><p>“Okay.” Then Zack looks back to Roche and Johnny. “I think we’ll just relax in our room for the rest of the night. Hope that’s cool with you?”</p><p>Wait－he was turning down their invite? Usually Zack was at hello at the mention of food and drink. Did he know that what he really wanted was to simply stay at the resort and relax with him? (He hopes that’s the case.)</p><p>“Yeah, don’t sweat it dude!” Johnny is the first to wave off with a chipper tone. “If it’s your first day here, I can get how you’d just wanna chill out. We’ve already been here for five.” He laughs.</p><p>“We’ll just invite you next time we see you.” Roche nods. “I’m sure we’re probably staying at the same resort anyways.”</p><p>“<em>Isla De Los Sueños</em>?”</p><p>“That’s the one!” Roche laughs.</p><p>“Woah! How cool is that??” Johnny gasps. “What side?”</p><p>“South side,” Zack inflates a little. “Booked us a room facing this very beach.”</p><p>“N i c e” Johnny drawls with a wink. “We’re on the east side off by the rocks n’ shit.” He thumbs in the direction their room is. “I wanted south side too, but <em>someone </em>had to book the cheapest suites!”</p><p>“I <em>would’ve</em> booked south side had some <em>tirefire</em> not insist we stay for two weeks!” Roche retorts with a huff.</p><p>“You wanted to stay for two weeks too－<em>don’t deny it babe.</em>”</p><p>“If you keep talking you’ll be in the <em>hospital </em>for two weeks too, <em>hotshot.”</em></p><p>“<em>Oh yeah~? Run your mouth some more motorhead.”</em></p><p><em>“I’ll </em>show <em>you just how I run my mouth later tonight.”</em></p><p><em>“Ooh, don’t threaten </em>me <em>with a good time!”</em></p><p>Before it could get any more awkward listening to them, Zack and Cloud snuck away, gathered their things with record speed, then booked it off that beach as quickly and stealthily as possible.</p><p> </p><p>Dusk starts to settle by the time they make it up the concrete stairs that connect the beach to the raised mainland, painting the sky and tinting the world in rich gold and soft lavender.</p><p>Cloud just can’t wait to get back to the resort. He’s ready for some rest and relaxation (with a plentiful amount of aloe vera on his burns too).</p><p>Though a pained look crosses his face and he turns to look at Zack. “Please don’t tell me <em>we</em> sound like those two.” He brings up. He couldn’t get how they tried to dirty talk(?) each other while they were still there.</p><p>“No way.” Zack shakes his head. “I’m all for rough talk, but <em>That?</em> That was awkward.”</p><p>“Yeah.” He agrees, then hums softly. “Aside from that, they were pretty fun to hang out with I guess.”</p><p>“Yeah, I can agree on that... How’re the sunburns?”</p><p>“Eh, they’re probably not any better since those two kept us there a little longer.”</p><p>Zack smiles fondly. “Then I’ll just have to put some extra aloe on them.”</p><p>Cloud returns the smile a little softer. “I hope it’s the cooling kind.”</p><p>“You bet, Sunshine－only the coolest will do.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Jeeze I'm kinda sad this one's almost over, I had a ton of fun writing this fun cute thing! But alas, such is the way of writing ^^ <br/>At least I still have plans and ideas for the next fics! :D</p><p>Anyways, hope you enjoyed, and feel free to let me know what you thought!</p><p>See you in the last chapter tomorrow! :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Full</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>They might be a bit out of practice, but that won't stop them from blending together.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Well, we've finally made it to the last chapter of our little vacation arc! It's been an absolute blast writing these chapters and interacting with all of you~ ❤ I hope you guys keep sticking around to see what else I have in store for the rest of this little event!</p><p>With that said, happy reading! 😊</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“...I’m sorry…”</p><p>“Cloud, you have nothing to be sorry for, so stop apologizing.”</p><p>“But I－”</p><p>“<em>Cloud…”</em></p><p>He quiets down, but only because if he voices what’s running through his head then Zack won’t stand for it at all.</p><p>But that doesn’t stop him from feeling like he’s ruining their vacation now.</p><p>Not only did he up-chuck on the cruise here and had to be carried off the boat, he also got completely sunburnt on the beach for not being diligent enough with his sunblock. (Even <em>with</em> Zack’s reminders and initial application.)</p><p>And to top that all off?</p><p>He just twisted his ankle from trying not to trip over a stray dog on the way back to the resort.</p><p>Yeah, a <em>stray dog</em> of all things.</p><p>He hadn’t been paying attention－completely lost in conversation with his boyfriend at the time－and by the time he turned his eyes back in front of him a scrappy looking dog had bolted out from in between two buildings, right in front of him.</p><p>So he tried to swivel out of the way, lost his balance, and twisted his ankle on the way down.</p><p>Which led them to the current moment; Zack bridal-carrying him through the resort halls and back to their room.</p><p>This is the second time <em>today</em> he’s been carried around and it does not do his self-confidence any good－his skin is covered in sun-ripened splotches of pink and red and now his right ankle is swollen and he’s blushing and brooding.</p><p>
  <em>He just feels really pathetic.</em>
</p><p>“Zack－”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>He doesn’t even get the <em>chance </em>to ask if he can be set down. Or even to try and apologize again. (His boyfriend knows him too well.)</p><p>“And before you try to say something else I’m not going to like, do not apologize to me, or ask me to put you down, <em>or </em>say you’re ruining our vacation－I’m not gonna hear it.”</p><p>Cloud just keeps quiet.</p><p>There’s actually a bit of bite to Zack’s voice and even though he feels upset like he does, he still knows not to agitate that bite with his insecurities.</p><p>“There is one thing I’d like to ask of you though.” His boyfriend says as he stops walking.</p><p>He looks up at him through his bangs.</p><p>“Can you get the room key from the bag?” There’s a smile on his face and the bite in his voice is gone.</p><p>
  <em>‘That’s one thing I should be able to do right.’</em>
</p><p>He <em>is </em>the one holding their things after all. If he can’t at least do that then there’d <em>really</em> be something wrong here.</p><p>He digs around and finds the key near the bottom of the bag sandwiched between a deflated beach ball and a damp towel. He tugs it out with a quick jerk and it jingles in his grip. It catches the lights from the ceiling and faintly glimmers.</p><p>“Thanks.” Zack beams another smile at him. “Think you can unlock the door?”</p><p>Cloud shifts his head and makes a faint noise of surprise; they’ve already made it back to their room. The only thing keeping them out is the locked brown door that reads 507 on it.</p><p>He can handle unlocking a door at least－<em>t</em><em>hat’s</em> easy.</p><p>With his right hand he reaches out and slides the key into the lock. There’s a bit of jagged resistance, but he flicks the key clockwise and the deadbolt slides open with a quick <em>clack.</em></p><p>He opens the door to their room with a soft push from his hand. The door’s hinges squeak upon movement and now they’re free to enter the room.</p><p>He goes to pull the key from the lock as they step inside, but now that they’ve moved his timing is off. Yes he grabs the key, but promptly drops it trying to pull it from the door as they walk.</p><p>“Shit.” Cloud quietly curses when it falls to the floor with an echoed <em>clink.</em></p><p>“Don’t worry about it.” Zack shakes his head. “Let’s just worry about making sure you’re taken care of first.”</p><p>
  <em>Of course.</em>
</p><p>He’s guided over to the silk-lined bed and carefully placed upon it, torso upright and head propped on the pillows with his legs stretched out comfortably. (Though the sunburns on the backs of his shoulders don’t appreciate the friction.)</p><p>His boyfriend leans over and takes one of the decorative pillows from the other side of the queen-sized bed, and when he looks at him, gives him a big goofy grin.</p><p>Cloud knows those silly smiles are supposed to make him feel better, but this time it makes him feel worse.</p><p>Not even twenty-four hours into their vacation and he’s already managed to reduce them back to their old schedule back home－sitting around and not doing anything. The sunburns were tolerable, he could handle those okay－though annoying as they are－and they wouldn’t damper any activities aside from the beach.</p><p>But the stupid twisted ankle? Yeah, good luck trying to do something fun with <em>that</em>.</p><p>There goes meandering around the outlet shops, exploring every public room in the resort, hitting up all of the restaurants down the main street, or anything else that could be remotely considered as fun. </p><p><em>‘Way to go, Cloud.’</em> He chides himself.</p><p>He scowls even more at the fact that now Zack has to spend part of their vacation looking after him, making sure he doesn’t do anything independently or manage to break even more of himself trying to.</p><p>
  <em>This sucks.</em>
</p><p>His negative thought train is horribly derailed and he hisses when his afflicted ankle is raised up to be propped onto the pillow his boyfriend had situated at the foot of the bed.</p><p>“Sorry, Sunbeam.” He sheepishly chuckles.</p><p>“Don’t you <em>dare</em> apologize to me.” Cloud finds himself grunting, the dark tone in his head lays roots in his voice.</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“<em>You’re</em> the one that shouldn’t be apologizing.” He swiftly turns his head away and looks down at the wooden floor. “<em>I’m</em> the one ruining－”</p><p>A firm hand grabs his unafflicted leg. “Not another word.” Zack huffs, the prior bite from earlier back from the grave.</p><p>He pulls his head back front and center and turns his scowl up to a higher level. “But it’s the <em>truth!</em> All I’ve managed to do our first day here is practically hurt myself! And you won’t even let me apologize for it!”</p><p>“I already told you, Cloud.” Zack firmly reminds. “I’m not going to hear a word of you saying you’re sorry or ruining our vacation, because you’re <em>not</em>.”</p><p>“Look at me!” Cloud cries as he throws his arms up. “I’m burnt to shit and now I can’t even walk around! Even though we’re on vacation we’re going to go back to what we’ve <em>been </em>doing! Which is absolutely <em>nothing! </em>We’re supposed to be having fun and I’m <em>ruining it!</em>”</p><p>He’s just so upset with himself and has no idea how to let his emotions out in a non-destructive or overly self-critical way. He’s not even upset if he ruins his part of the vacation. He’s mostly upset at the fact he’s dragging Zack’s part of the vacation through the mud.</p><p>They’re supposed to be here to have fun, but now he’s already ruined that and reduced them back to their old, work-stressed, tired routine: doing nothing.</p><p>But then, Zack drops his firm look, briefly closes his eyes, and exhales with almost an understanding smile on his face. “That’s what this is about?”<br/>He re-opens his Mako blue eyes and gives him a soft, patient smile. “You really think we’re only here to have fun?”</p><p>“I-I mean, that’s the whole point of a vacation…” Cloud’s destructive temper stops boiling over at his boyfriend’s suddenly soft tone. Now he can’t look him in the eyes.</p><p>“Cloud…” Zack’s voice is so soft and cozy, like the fluffiest weighted blanket in the world.</p><p>Springs groan and weight shifts and then－then there’s a hand on his face, and it cups his cheek and tenderly pivots his head back front and center.</p><p>“The entire reason we’re on this vacation is so we can spend time together, that’s it－that’s all that matters.” His smile is so bright and warm. “It doesn’t matter how it gets spent, just as long as whatever we do here, we do <em>together. </em>And <em>that’s</em> the whole point of our vacation.” His thumb circles part of his cheek that doesn’t have a sunburn on it and he smiles again.</p><p>Shit.</p><p>Now he just feels stupid.</p><p>He was so worried about them not having fun on their vacation he forgot why they even came here in the first place.</p><p>His defense systems come online and they form tears in his eyes and make his throat feel thick and constricted. “I’m sorry…” He sniffs.</p><p>“Hey, no apologizing.” Zack reminds. Then he leans in and plants a kiss to his lips. “I already told you I wasn’t gonna hear it.” He hums and kisses him again.</p><p>Cloud returns the affection and wills his defenses to go offline, but they don’t. Instead they just make him cry while returning that affection.</p><p>Without open eyes, he feels those fingers move from his cheek and wipe away the moisture that falls from his eyes. And when they do pull back and open their eyes, they smile at one another.</p><p>“If you won’t let me apologize with my words,” Cloud says as his hands wrap around Zack and pull him close. “Then I want to make it up to you…” He pecks his jawline. “…with my actions instead.”</p><p>Then, regardless of sunburns or twisted ankles, he takes the lead and kisses the base of his boyfriend’s neck, lacing his throat with delicate noises he knows he likes.</p><p>He wants to burn away his defenses and shame with unabashed warmth and fullness. He wants to make up for his unbridled outburst the best way he knows how, now that they actually have the right alchemy for it.</p><p>“You… want to do this… <em>now?”</em> Zack muses as his own hands move and touch his body, taking care in not brushing over any sunburns even with the heat of cacoethes settling over them.</p><p>Cloud responds by softly suckling the base of his neck, telling him yes without having to say it.</p><p>Once Zack hunkers over him and presses his body against his in compliance, his stomach tightens and lifts at the same time and he gasps out a heavenly exhale, chills breaking across his sun-splotched skin.</p><p>Warmth pools through his entire body, though most of it nestles in his groin and makes him stiffen in tandem.</p><p>They haven’t been this close and intimate in Gaia knows how long.</p><p>Firm hands glide under his tank-top and the warmth of those teasing fingers somehow cause more chills to prickle across his skin, even feeling them tingle at the top of his head.</p><p>The skilled fingers of his boyfriend know exactly where to move, touch, and caress, and Cloud would have made some loving noises of approval had they not been siphoned out of his mouth every time with deep, fervid kisses to his lips.</p><p>Though he squeaks out a moan true to his secretly loved pet-name when those fingers find and smooth over his nipples. His squeaky little moans still get siphoned straight from his mouth, but Zack only ups the pace, taking them from his mouth before he can even make them.</p><p>He feels his nipples harden and in turn he pops a tent and breathlessly moans into the mouth stealing all his sounds.</p><p>“Oh, Squeaker…” Zack breathes against his lips. “…You still know… exactly what I like hearing… don’t you?” Those hands move away from his chest and they hike up his tank-top to his neck.</p><p>More chills assault Cloud’s body and anything that can get hard does.</p><p>He’s out of practice if he’s already this hard, this quickly－even if all they’ve done is kiss and touch each other.</p><p>He doesn’t want it to end, or to have all the work done for him, so he breaks his hands away from his boyfriend’s back and fists the bottom of his muscle shirt, tugging at it to let him know what he wanted.</p><p>“Okay, Squeaker－clothes off it is.” Zack complies softly and pulls away.</p><p>Cloud watches and bites his bottom lip as his boyfriend makes a tantalizing show for him as he strips from his shirt and tosses it to the side. Then he leans back in and maneuvers his own tank-top around until he manages to get it up and off him without barely even moving him. (He’s had a lot of practice in that regard.)</p><p>Zack is just so stunning to look at and it makes him swallow thick, not able to resist reaching out and running his slender hands over his torso. He’s given a smile in return and his hands are cupping his face.</p><p>“You look so cute when you’ve got your hands all over me.” Zack smiles before he kisses his sun-ripened forehead gently. “My squeaky little red-nosed reindeer~” He coos.</p><p>Normally, hearing that would have pissed him off, but right now in the warmth of their intimacy, he drinks it up like sweet nectar and drowns in it.</p><p>During love making, he loves any and all pet-names he’s given, even if they started out as jokes before.</p><p>Then those kisses from his boyfriend move from his face and trail to his neck, where he bites and sucks gently.</p><p>The rush of want fills Cloud’s body and his hands latch over Zack’s back and tugs him close, pressing them against one another again.</p><p>But he breaks out of that hold with near ease when he trails those kisses down his neck, to his chest, before planting them all over his stomach.</p><p>His muscles contract under the soft warmth and his erection tighten more (if that was even possible). Kisses to his stomach are pretty much an instant turn on for him; they make his muscles stiffen and the light, tight feeling in his gut doubles and it makes his toes curl out of reflex. (Which they do now.)</p><p>“If I’m not careful…” Zack say in between kisses. “You just might spill too soon.” He pulls away after he says that and then his hands grab the waistline of the swim-trunks he’s still in. “So let’s make it count, Squeaker.”</p><p>Cloud complies easy, slightly arching himself off the bed and further into the warm, solid frame of his boyfriend. (He ignores the twinge in his ankle the movement causes. He doesn’t want them to stop for anything.)</p><p>But Zack, being observant and keen as he is, notices the faint twitch at his face. “Ankle?” He asks. His tone already sounds less passionate. “If you’re hurting I don’t want to－”</p><p>“No, no.” Cloud is quick to dismiss. He wants this. He wants this so much it almost hurts. “I don’t want you to stop.” He fills in the sentence he interrupted and grabs his swim-trunks too, lightly tugging at them. “Let’s make it count.” He tosses his boyfriend’s own words at him.</p><p>He looks a bit hesitant, but a smirk crawls over his face shortly after. “Okay, Sunbeam－if that’s what you want. I’ll just be extra careful.” He says as he starts to carefully wiggle the trunks off his body.</p><p>Cloud squirms in response, trying to get them off quickly. He doesn’t care if it hurts, or about being too careful,</p><p>He just wants Zack.</p><p>So he tugs at his trunks too, and they both slip off around the same time, freeing their arousals and the cool air making them both shudder and stiffen in tandem.</p><p>“Okay,” Zack hums as he leans in and pecks him on the lips. “let’s get you ready.”</p><p>He leans back, then leans away from him and over the side of the bed where their luggage sits.</p><p>He doesn’t know what he’s looking for, but he doesn’t like how far away he is and how cold the room is now that his body isn’t against his.</p><p>“Zack…!” He whines.</p><p>Cloud doesn’t care about careful, or getting ready, or anything else. He just wants to feel as one with his kindred spirit and connect in the closest way possible.</p><p>“Give me a sec, Squeaker.” He patiently responds as he rummages around in one of their luggage bags.</p><p>If he could he’d get up himself, but with his sunburns and twisted ankle, he just has to be stuck laying here.</p><p>Then Zack makes a soft noise and pulls something out of the bag. “I knew I was smart enough to snag this.” He muses.</p><p>Cloud can see it’s a bottle of lube in his boyfriend’s hands－actually it’s his favorite kind. (Must’ve taken it from his end table back home.)</p><p>The bed springs groan as Zack scoots his way back over to him and he smiles as he pops the lid to the bottle. He squirts a small amount in one hand, then uses it to coat a finger or two.</p><p>Then he leans back in and hunkers over him, his mouth instantly seeking his before placing a few deep, warm kisses against them. “You ready, Squeaker?” His voices hums as deep as his kisses.</p><p>Cloud agrees by kissing and gently sucking a spot on his neck already looking a bit bruised.</p><p>A groan of approval meets his ears and he drowns in the sound. He loves hearing his boyfriend make his own set of husky noises, just as he likes hearing his squeaky noises.</p><p>A distracting kiss is placed to his neck and one finger enters his backside.</p><p>Cloud squeaks out a positive response and arches his back into it, face wincing from making his ankle move, but using that pain to fuel his passion.</p><p>He feels his muscles constrict and move around his boyfriend’s diligent touch as his inner is explored and stimulated. His toes curl tighter and his mouth hangs open now, squeaky pants mingling with the cool air.</p><p>Then another finger is added to the heated equation and his back arches even more, almost lifted off the bed. (He doesn’t lift himself all the way. If he does that he’ll really hurt himself and then Zack will stop and he doesn’t want to stop.)</p><p>“Goddess, Squeaker,” Zack sweetly smiles. “You’re the cutest thing when you’re squirming around like that.” He says as he moves his fingers around with expert precision.</p><p>He hates being called cute usually, but during these times he loves it. He loves everything they do in these moments.</p><p>“Zack…” He moans out as his arms reach up and curl around his broad neck. “I want to feel more of you.” he admits with a moan as his stomach and erection tighten even more.</p><p>“You’re ready?” He makes sure as he takes his fingers from him.</p><p>Cloud eagerly nods his head and kisses his lips with fervid desire. “Make love with me.”</p><p>A large smile stretches over his boyfriend’s face and a hand cups his face and rubs his cheek. “With pleasure, Sunshine.”</p><p>With the other hand, he manages to squeeze more lube into it, then rub his own stiffness down with it, putting on a little show for him.</p><p>Just when Cloud thought he couldn’t possible feel any better, he does the moment Zack eases into him.</p><p>It’s warm－it’s so, so warm.</p><p>He feel so full and warm and comfortable despite the sunburns on his skin and the twist in his ankle.</p><p>Then he’s moved in, gentle motions rolling through him like calm ocean waves complete with deep, husky grunts and sighs.</p><p>Cloud lights up the room with his own set of alto cries, intermingling with the rough tenor as they make love and music with their bodies and voices.</p><p>The bed springs groan and move in tandem with their soft, fluid motions, adding more sound to the ephemeral moment.</p><p>Cloud’s stomach is so tight and light and full and his erection is throbbing so much it feels like his heart went straight to his groin. His backside is full of thick, warm fullness that only grows thicker and warmer with each soft push.</p><p>“Oh, Sunbeam,” Zack sighs during a lull in their roll. “I’ve missed making love with you.” He smiles and places deep kisses to his lips.</p><p>“I’ve missed it too.” Cloud agrees with a heavenly voice during a break in their motions and kisses. He returns those kisses softly and gently, like a hummingbird taking nectar from a hesitant flower.</p><p>“I love you so much, Cloud.” Zack sighs before he butterfly kisses his red nose.</p><p>He’s overwhelmed with emotion and a thick, watery “I love you too, Zack.” rumbles from his throat.</p><p>Then those pushes get a little faster, a little deeper, and the husky sighs and grunts from his boyfriend get a little rougher. He’s close.</p><p>He must be out of practice too, because he feels a warm, filling release pool in his backside and that heavenly dark voice cries out in pleasure.</p><p>Those pushes continue for a few more moments, riding out the last of the release, before they slow down and ease up all together.</p><p>They breathe while remained locked together, their breaths scraping the cool air around them as their bodies faintly glisten with sweat.</p><p>“Now,” Zack exhales breathlessly and smiles. “Let’s get you taken care of.” He seals the words with another kiss to his sore mouth.</p><p>That’s all the time Cloud’s given before that mouth trails those kisses down his body from his neck, to his chest, and stomach, and finally down to his erection. Then it’s taken into his warm mouth and he can’t stop himself from arching his back off the bed all the way and crying out.</p><p>His stomach tightens and his chest does the same. He feels so full and hot and cared for. Zack takes him deeper and he can feel his release already trying to leak out. He struggles to hold onto it so hard that white creeps in to the corners of his eyes and his body tightens so much he can’t breathe.</p><p>He doesn’t want it to end, doesn’t want it to be over so soon.</p><p>But his stamina has taken a hit during their overworked dry spell. And even though he holds it back as hard as he can, his muscles contract all at once and he ends up pushing out his release with a squeaky alto moan.</p><p>Zack takes all of him in, swallowing it all with practiced ease and drinking him up as though he had been nectar this whole time.</p><p>Then they’re both panting and huffing, the high from release ebbing away and leaving a tired, full feeling in their heads. (He’s more surprised all that friction never once bothered his sunburns.)</p><p>Zack flops over to the other side of the bed and cuddles up to him, body against his and an arm thrown over his chest like he’s a giant stuffed animal.</p><p>“Hey, remind me later to put some clothes on and grab you some ice from the lobby.” He mentions.</p><p>“Don’t want to do it now?” Cloud sighs.</p><p>“Nah－I’m staying right here for now.”</p><p>They look at one another’s eyes, exhale softly and smile brightly at the same time.</p><p>“I love you, Squeaker.”<br/>“I love you, Goofball.”</p><p>They both even spoke at the same time. They stared for a moment with wide eyes before they burst out into laughter.</p><p> </p><p>Looks like their vacation didn’t get ruined after all.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Here we are - at the end of the road. It's been fun writing in this and posting it every day! I can't even remember the last time I was /this/ motivated to write and actually finish what I write too. (I suspect a bit of a burn-out once this clack event is said and done), but hopefully I'll still have enough in me to work on my other projects 😉</p><p>Major thanks to all who have given this a like, or comment, or bookmark, or even just a view! It really warms my heart to know people are actually enjoying the content I make, and it encourages me to want to make /more/ content and keep on truckin!</p><p>To all of you:<br/>pizzasteviegabe, Rellanka, juneedes, Namine23, C3Conner, Banapples2018, Scarlett_Puff, Goodnight_Sweetheart, EllieInLove, Dawnsty, kwiksatik, Lovelylittlelonely99, twitchypici, AWildStarRoamingTheUniverse, bbrown4, KathrynHarrop90, Simtorta, Jurrassica, Corydalis_Lutea, and EvaNyxx and 9 guests... <br/>Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart~ 💕</p><p>And to all of you who took an extra step:<br/>Nozomi_Higurashi, Jurrassica, bbrown4, AWildStarRoamingTheUniverse, KathrynHarrop90, wingdesire, SchnappiWappi, SmidgenThinks...<br/>Your words only made me want to write more and post faster, and interacting with you all has been so awesome and fun! Thank you so much for reaching out and letting me know your thoughts on my work. It means the world to me. So, thank you again~! 💕😘</p><p>Anyways, thanks for sticking around! Hopefully I'll see some of you again in the next part! 😊</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>There's chapter one wrapped up! I hope you guys enjoyed it! If you did, I've love to hear about it! I promise I don't bite! :D</p><p>Stay tuned for chapter 2 tomorrow! :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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